Physics

One of the unique aspects of Patterns is its Physics engine. Patterns uses a complex and involved system for the handling of item physics, with each material having a specific data set indicating breaking points, weight distribution, and more. While some of the physical properties of these materials is known from extensive in-game testing, the addition of new materials and mechanics in future versions may cause this data to change or make the data presented below obsolete. Before using this page as a reference for building, please match the version number of your launcher with the version number notated at the top of the table to make sure they match.

Contents

Patterns implements a system of gravity known colloquially as "Escher Gravity". This system of gravity allows for traditional central gravity (as is present in the observable universe), but also allows one to traverse constructs with gravity relative to the player. It is so known as "Escher Gravity" due to the artwork of M.C. Escher, depicting the relevant gravitational change.

Though weight means something completely different in the real world, in game programming, it is easiest described like so: weight is the total downwards force exerted by an object onto the object below it. When creating structures, knowing the weight of an object will allow you to know whether or not your bracing is complete, whether you exceed the total weight of a base material, or even the destructive possibility of a collapsing piece. More than anything else, weight will be the determining factor for your material of choice, as it affects both Shear Strength and Compressive Resistance. For the sake of simplicity, when referring to weight within patterns, we will use a floating factor system: for example, 30 cubes of Weight factor 1 can be stacked on a cube with a Compressive Resistance of factor 30.

Compressive Resistance is the ability of a block to resist compression due to the weight of other blocks; in simple terms, it's how many unit factors you can stack on a block before it breaks. For example, Gypsum has a Compressive Resistance of approximately 215 - therefore, as long as the sum total of the blocks stacked on top of it does not weigh more than 215, the block will be fine. If this number is exceeded, however, the block will break.

When planning structures that only go straight up (towers, ladders, columns), Compressive Resistance and Weight data can be used to ascertain the best material for the base. While a relatively small structure may be able to use an object with a relatively low rating for Compressive Resistance, the larger the object gets, the more data points will be required, and the more supports of various strengths are going to be needed. If the structure in mind has anything branching off the side, i.e. a bridge, flag pole, or walkway, Shear Strength data must be accounted for as well.

Shear Strength is how much weight an object can hold to it's side before it can no longer support the structure. The easiest way to visualize this is simply to hold your arm. Now imagine someone placing a paperback in your hand. That should not be too difficult to hold up, but imagine if I placed another paperback in your hand every two seconds. Eventually, the weight would be so much that your arm simply could not take it. This functions much the same in Patterns, except, since the materials in Patterns do not have sockets the way the shoulders do, the "arm" simply breaks straight off and falls.

While sheer strength is important to understand when building bridges and the like, it is also important to consider the implications for the total weight of the structure - certain designs will cause the weight of your extremities to be transferred to the base of the structure, causing additional weight that may not be factored into the original design.

Gamepedia

Tools

Content is available under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 unless otherwise noted.Game content and materials are trademarks and copyrights of their respective publisher and its licensors. All rights reserved.
This site is a part of Curse, Inc. and is not affiliated with the game publisher.